Telecommunications providers of data services, such as digital subscriber line (DSL) service, utilize concentration equipment that support many individual lines. To configure such equipment in a manner to match the data needs of the subscribers connected thereto, it would be desirable to have a data transmission capacity model. With conventional methods, there is no good method of estimating the number of customers that can be served by a remote terminal or a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM). A limiting factor in capacity is the connection between the remote terminal or the DSLAM and the ATM switch. Typically this connection is an OC3 or DS3 connection. In the event that the equipment is configured above a reasonable capacity, then customers receive a lower quality service and experience significant data slowdown.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system to estimate the number of customers that can be supported on deployed network equipment.